academic careers

Teaching, Mentorship & Academic Career

From guiding graduate residents at UTHSC to founding regional symposia and delivering invited lectures on three continents — Dr. Adatrow’s commitment to education extends far beyond the clinic.
  • 2016 Founded Annual Perio-Ortho-Endo Symposium — running continuously since
  • 3 Continents reached through international invited lectures
  • 2025 Co-founded Southern Study Club - Seattle Study Club affiliate
  • Faculty, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) — Guiding and mentoring graduate periodontics residents, shaping the next generation of specialists

Academic Career

Nearly Two Decades of University Faculty Service

Dr. Adatrow's academic career spans four institutions and nearly twenty years. He has held faculty appointments ranging from Clinical Instructor to Associate Professor, directed multiple graduate and pre-doctoral programs, mentored residents whose research was published in peer-reviewed journals, and served on key institutional committees — all while maintaining active clinical practice.

Clinical Instructor — Periodontics

Department of Periodontics and Allied Dental Health

During his MSD residency at Indiana, Dr. Adatrow served simultaneously as a clinical instructor teaching third- and fourth-year dental students. This early role combined with his active research agenda established the pattern of parallel clinical, educational, and research engagement that would define his entire academic career.

Assistant Professor & Director - Pre-Doctoral Periodontics

Department of Periodontics, UTHSC College of Dentistry

Dr. Adatrow joined the UTHSC College of Dentistry faculty in August 2004 as Assistant Professor and Director of the Division of Pre-Doctoral Periodontics. In this role he directed the periodontics curriculum for dental students, supervised clinical training, established research programs, and began mentoring graduate residents — a period of seven years that laid the groundwork for the programs he would later lead.

Clinical Instructor - Prosthodontics

Department of Prosthodontics, UTHSC College of Dentistry

While pursuing his prosthodontics residency, Dr. Adatrow served concurrently as a Clinical Instructor in Prosthodontics at UTHSC - simultaneously training as a resident and teaching at the faculty level, reflecting the depth of expertise he had already accumulated in implant surgery and reconstructive dentistry.

Associate Professor & Director - Surgical Prosthodontics

UTHSC College of Dentistry

Upon completing his prosthodontics residency, Dr. Adatrow was appointed Associate Professor and Director of Surgical Prosthodontics — a dual role he held for seven years, during which he shaped the clinical and research character of the program. He directed both periodontics and prosthodontics graduate residents, supervised peer-reviewed research, and led national and international continuing education. He personally mentored ten post-graduate residents whose thesis and clinical research projects spanned biomaterials, microbiology, pharmacology, and implant prosthetics — several of which were published in indexed journals.

Consultant Faculty - Dental Medicine

Department of Dental Medicine · AEGD Program

Simultaneously with his UTHSC appointment, Dr. Adatrow served as Consultant Faculty at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, delivering an annual lecture series on periodontal medicine, surgical techniques, and implantology to Advanced Education in General Dentistry residents — extending his educational reach from Memphis to New York.

Adjunct Associate Professor - Biomedical Engineering

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of his biomaterials research, Dr. Adatrow served as Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Memphis — collaborating with engineers on the development of electrospun chitosan nanofiber constructs for guided tissue and bone regeneration. This cross-disciplinary appointment produced multiple peer-reviewed publications in biomedical materials journals and positioned Dr. Adatrow at the intersection of clinical dentistry and materials science.

Graduate Resident Mentorship

Published Research. Lasting Impact.

As a research advisor at UTHSC, Dr. Adatrow guided the thesis and clinical research projects of post-graduate residents across the periodontics and prosthodontics programs — producing peer-reviewed publications and national conference presentations.

As a research advisor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Dr. Adatrow guided residents through the full arc of academic research — from hypothesis formation and study design through data collection, statistical analysis, manuscript preparation, and national presentation.

Several of these projects were published in peer-reviewed journals. Their results were presented at national meetings including the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), the Hinman Research Symposium, and the American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) Annual Meeting.

Chitosan Membrane Biocompatibility

Evaluation of electrospun chitosan nanofiber membranes for biocompatibility and guided bone regeneration — contributing to a multi-publication body of work on biomaterial alternatives to collagen membranes.

Candida albicans Adhesion to Denture Base Liners

Microbiological investigation of fungal adhesion mechanisms on denture materials — clinically relevant to the prevention and management of denture stomatitis in prosthetic patients.

Methamphetamine & Gingival Fibroblast MMP Production

Study of the effects of methamphetamine on matrix metalloproteinase production in gingival fibroblasts — advancing understanding of drug-induced periodontal tissue breakdown at the cellular level.

SLPI Modulation of Monocyte Cytokine Secretion

Investigation of secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) in modulating LPS-stimulated monocyte inflammatory responses — connecting periodontal infection to systemic immune pathways.

Simvastatin-Loaded Nanofiber Membranes for Bone Regeneration

Pre-clinical evaluation of drug-eluting chitosan membranes loaded with simvastatin in rodent calvarial defects — demonstrating osteoinductive potential for guided bone regeneration applications.

Additional Mentored Projects

Five additional resident research projects spanning implant prosthetics, periodontal pharmacology, and antimicrobial biomaterials — several resulting in indexed journal publications and national presentations.

Presented at

International Association for Dental Research (IADR)

Hinman Research Symposium

ACP Annual Meeting

UT Student Annual Research Day

Continuing Education & Study Clubs

Building the Standard of Care Across the Region

Beyond university training, Dr. Adatrow has invested for decades in the ongoing education of practicing dentists across the mid-South — founding programs, building industry partnerships, and creating structured interdisciplinary learning communities.
Founded 2016 · Annual · Ongoing

Annual Perio-Ortho-Endo Symposium

Founded by Dr. Adatrow in 2016, this multi-disciplinary continuing education event serves general dentists and specialists across the greater Memphis and North Mississippi area. The symposium brings together periodontists, orthodontists, and endodontists to present integrated clinical perspectives — running continuously since its founding and growing in reach each year.

2009 – 2015

Implant Continuum / Externship Program

Dr. Adatrow founded and directed this hands-on implant training series, providing practicing dentists with supervised implant placement experience using donated implants and materials. Supported successively by Zimmer Dental, Straumann, and Nobel Biocare, the program trained dentists in evidence-based implant protocols over six years.

Co-Founded 2025

Southern Study Club -Seattle Study Club Affiliate

In 2025, Dr. Adatrow co-founded the Southern Study Club — an affiliate of the internationally recognized Seattle Study Club network. The club provides Memphis-area dentists with structured, evidence-based interdisciplinary study in restorative dentistry and implantology, following the rigorous Seattle Study Club model of monthly case-based learning with specialist faculty.

2018 – Present

Straumann Continuing Education Speaker

Since 2018, Dr. Adatrow has served as a Straumann Continuing Education Speaker — delivering evidence-based lectures on implant surgery, site development, and restorative protocols to dental professionals on behalf of one of the world's leading implant companies.

Industry Partners

Zimmer Dental

Straumann

Nobel Biocare

Seattle Study Club

International & National Lecturing

Invited Lectures Across Three Continents

Dr. Adatrow has delivered invited lectures and visiting professorships at institutions and symposia in the United States, India, and the United Arab Emirates — covering topics spanning the full breadth of implant and periodontal specialty practice.

Lecturing Topics

  • Implant Site Development - bone grafting, ridge augmentation, and soft tissue management prior to implant placement
  • Bone Grafting Techniques - autogenous, allograft, xenograft, and synthetic materials in periodontal and implant surgery
  • Periodontal Medicine - the systemic connections between periodontal disease, diabetes, cardiovascular health, and inflammation
  • Restorative Space Considerations - treatment planning the restorative envelope before implant placement decisions are made
  • Treatment Options for Edentulous Patients - implant-supported overdentures, fixed full-arch prosthetics, and All-on-X protocols

Invited Lectures & Professorships

  • Interprofessional Association for Oral Systemic Health — IAOSH · United States
  • University of Iowa College of Dentistry — Iowa City, Iowa
  • Creighton University — Omaha, Nebraska
  • Arkansas Academy of General Dentistry — Arkansas, United States
  • 2025 Clinical Implantology Symposium — Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • 2024 Indian Society of Oral Implantologists — New Delhi, India
  • 2023 GITAM Oral Implantology Symposium — Visakhapatnam, India
  • 2020 Partha Dental Conference — Hyderabad, India